spurns

Spurns is the present tense, third-person singular form of the verb spurn. It means to reject with disdain, scorn, or contempt, often with the implication that the rejected thing is unworthy or undeserving of consideration. The word can apply to persons, proposals, offers, or ideas, and is usually used to describe a deliberate, often morally loaded rejection rather than a casual refusal.

Etymology: The verb spurn derives from Old English spurnian, meaning to kick or tramp upon; by extension, to reject as if with contempt. The connection between kicking and rejection became established in the sense of turning something away with hostility. The exact path of the word's development is uncertain, but by the late Middle Ages spurn had settled into its modern sense.

Grammatical notes: Spurns, spurn, spurned, spurning. The form spurns is used with a singular subject in present tense: The committee spurns the proposal. The past tense is spurned; the present participle is spurning; the noun form is 'spurning' (gerund).

Usage: Spurning connotes a strong, often judgmental rejection. It is more forceful than 'refuse' or 'reject' and can imply moral disapproval. In contemporary writing, it appears in news reporting, opinion, or literary prose, but may sound archaic or formal in casual speech.

Examples: "The board spurns the offer." "She spurns his advances." "They spurned the idea as impractical."